Mathura A District Memoir

64 THJB DEATH OF KA2CSA.

tlie lists. At tlie entrance tliey were confronted by tlie savage elephant Knvala-

yapida, upon whom Kansa relied to trample them to death. But Krishna, after

sporting with it for a -while, seized it at last by the tail, and whirling it ronnd

his head dashed it lifeless to the ground. Then-, each bearing one of its tusks,

the two boys stepped into the ring and challenged all comers. Chunur was

matched against Krishna, Slushtika against Balar&n, The struggle was no

sooner "begun than ended : "both the king's champions were thrown and rose

no more. Then Kansa started from his throne, and cried aloud to his guards

to seize and put to death the two rash boys with their father Yasndeva—for his

sons he knew they were—and the old King Ugrasen. But Krishna with one

bonnd sprang upon the dais} seized the tyrant by the hair as he vainly sought

to fly, and hurled him down the giddy height into the ravine below.* Then

they dragged the lifeless body to the bank of the Jamnna, and there by the

water's edge at last sat down to 'rest,' whence the place is known to this day

as tlie i Yisr&nt* Ghat.f Now that justice had been satisfied, Krishna was too

righteous to insult the dead; he comforted the widows of the fallen monarch,

and bid them celebrate the funeral rites with all due form, and himself applied

the torch to the pyre. Then Ugrasen was reseated on his ancient throne, and

Matlmra once more knew peace and security.

As Krishna was determined on a lengthened-stay, he persuaded Nanda to
return alone to Brines-ban and console his foster-mother Jasoda with tidings of
his welfare. He and Balaram then underwent the ceremonies of caste-initia-
tion, which had been neglected during their sojourn with the herdsmen ; and,
after a few days, proceeded to Ujjayin, there to pursue the prescribed course
of study under the Kasya sage Sandipani. The rapidity with which they
mastered every science soon betrayed their divinity ; and as they prepared to
Ieaves their Instructor fell at their feet and begged of them a boon—namely, the
restoration of Ms son, who had been engulfed by the waves of the sea when on
a pilgrimage to Prabhasa. Ocean was summoned to answer the charge, and
taxed the demon Panchajana with the crime. Krishna at once plunged into
the unfathomable depth and dragged the monster lifeless to the surface. Then

* K«wa*« Hill and the Bang-Shorn!, or ' arena,* with an image of Rangesrar Mah&deva,
wfaere the bow was broken, the ekphant killed and the champion wrestlers defeated, are still sacred
sites immediate! j outside the city of Maiirara, opposite the new dispensary.
f The Viirint Gfait, or Batitg Gh&, ia tlie most sacred spot in all Mathora. It occupies
the centre of the ri«r froa«g tnd is thus made a promiaeiit object, though it has BO special
architectural beauty.